Organoid Gaiden: VR Encounter
by Teefa and Co
Summary: Sidestory to Legend of the Organoid. While playing Bust-a-Move, 8 members of The Blitz Team get sucked into another universe. Now they must save the world, and fight off an angry rival. Usual couples. With basis of Bust-a-Move. COMPLETE
1. The Storm

The Storm  
  
One stormy night, the nine warriors of The Blitz Team were gathered in the rec. room. It had been a whole month since their final encounter with the alien ship, and they'd been enjoying a little R&R. But with all the repairs being done on their Zoids, they hadn't even gone in an official battle either. So a sense of boredom had set in.  
  
"This is getting so annoying. If I don't get in a fight soon…I'll scream," complained Leena. As the team's most impulsive warrior—even beating out Bit---she was often the most outspoken on problems such as these.  
  
Everyone else in the room began to edge away. They were all afraid that Leena's temper would begin to flare again. Whenever it did, no one who got in her way was left standing. Usually such situations called for running like madmen and women, and allowing her to give chase in order to make the fiery woman relax.  
  
Bit began to think of a way to calm his fiancée down before the situation came to that. Suddenly, it came to him. He exclaimed, "How about we play Bust-a-Move 4? I have all the secret characters saved on my memory card."  
  
Everyone seemed to applaud Bit's idea. So he put his memory card in their PSX, and started the game. First, of course, they loaded up the saved characters. They decided on having an elimination game—all the boys fighting each other, and all the girls fighting each other. When it was down to one on each side, the top girl would play the top boy for the championship.  
  
The first match was Jamie vs. Brad—or Bramb vs. Gigant. Using his intellect, the younger Jamie managed to win both rounds, eliminating the deciding third. Brad just sighed, and said, "Oh well…I guess you can't win 'em all."  
  
Next was Fara vs. Naomi—both using Alkanet. Both girls won one match, and they prepared for a deciding third. But in the third, Naomi managed to find a star bubble when she had just the right color to throw. It brought down most of her bubbles, and a heavy combo hit Fara.  
  
The other boys match was Bit vs. Leon—using Marino and Bob. They played three long and grueling rounds, while everyone else ran to get sodas. It finally ended with Bit getting a lucky break, and a combo that threw so many rainbows on Leon that he couldn't go on.  
  
Leena and Julianna were next—playing as Packy and Cleon. It was practically a bloodbath, with Leena unleashing combo after combo, all while laughing maniacally. In two short rounds, she had won.  
  
Leanna was sitting there watching with Ryu and Nina. She'd had no interest in a competition, and was waiting to play Puzzle Mode Story with them. The next two matches were over all to soon—close calls for Bit, bloodbaths for Leena—and Bit and Leena prepared to face each other.  
  
"I'll be back soon," called Leanna, "I want to make some popcorn for all of us to share." So she went down to the kitchen as the final battle began.  
  
Bit took the first round after a long and grueling fight. Leena made a comeback in the second round, calling for the third and final round. But suddenly, something unexpected happened.  
  
As they prepared to begin the fight, lightning struck the base. Instantly, the microwave began to go crazy, spewing popcorn all over Leanna. Meanwhile, the PSX began humming, Ryu and Nina began to howl, and a blinding flash of light engulfed the room. Screams were heard from the eight warriors, and then they stopped.  
  
When Leanna returned—after cleaning up the kitchen—she found the room empty. Originally, she was inclined to believe that they'd just left the room. But then, she noticed the TV—which shined with static—and the PSX were still on. Leanna began to worry.  
  
- - - -  
  
How do you like so far? Where did our heroes get too? And what will they find there? 


	2. New World

New World  
  
Bit looked around at the team's surroundings. They appeared to be in a meadow of some sort, and there was a little forest nearby. But the place had an almost ethereal feeling to it…as if the eight warriors had been sent into a parallel universe. And it seemed familiar to boot, but where had they all seen it before?  
  
"That's it!" yelled Bit.  
  
"What's it?" asked the others.  
  
"We're inside the video game," he replied, "This looks just like the planet that Bub and Bob live on in Bust-a-Move. You know, the first board in Player vs. Computer Story Mode?"  
  
A more thorough search of the area wasn't enough to verify their suspicions, but did seem to fortify them. The planet looked just like the kind of place two small, cute, and friendly dragons would hang out. But how had they gotten there?  
  
Soon, they heard a voice call, "Stop, you're under arrest for leaving your posts." At once, a team of strange robotic guards began to chase them. The Blitz Team members ran towards the forest hoping to find a place to hide.  
  
* * *  
  
"Uhhhhhhhh…what happened? Last I remember I was playing a game, then a light filled the room." questioned Harry Champ. He rubbed the back of his aching head, and looked around. The area looked like some sort of fortress, one Harry'd never seen in his life. Suddenly, his eyes went wide, and he screamed, "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…this isn't my base! Benjamin, Sebastian, where did you two get to?"  
  
But neither of his robots came. Instead, a strange being entered the room. It looked like a silver full moon, with a ruff on the back of its head. Its eyes were covered with a dark pink eyeshadow, and the lips were wearing orange lipstick. "Hello my dear…I'm Madam Luna, the ruler of the universe," it said.  
  
'Where have I heard that name before?" wondered Harry, 'Oh well…it'll come to me eventually.'  
  
Luna continued, "I found you outside my castle, unconscious. Where are you from, my dear? I've never seen a life form quite like you before."  
  
"Planet Zi," replied Harry, "Do you know how I can get home?"  
  
"Well, I've never heard of it. Tell you what, if you help me destroy the rebels who are planning to take back the planets I control, I'll get you back to this Zi somehow. And…I'll even throw in your heart's desire," Luna proclaimed.  
  
Harry thought for a moment. This didn't seem like quite an honorable cause. The lifeforms had the right to fight for their freedom. But to be stranded out here, so far from Leena, was a fate worse than death. Besides, if Luna could somehow get Leena away from Bit when he got home…  
  
"Ok, you have yourself a deal," stated Harry.  
  
* * *  
  
Meanwhile, Bit and the others were still running from the guards. Ryu and Nina tried to fight with them, but the mindless androids just kept on coming. Just as they were about to give themselves up for caught, they heard a little voice calling, "This way, you can hide in here." It seemed to be coming from the bushes.  
  
With no other options, Bit and Leena dived for the bushes. The other humans followed suit, while the Organoids distracted the robots. Once their masters had successfully hidden, Ryu and Nina broke off the attack, and flew off.  
  
"Which way did they go?" asked a guard.  
  
"Let's just forget we even saw them," replied the captain, "Besides, they've probably reached the resistance base by now." Then, the robots left.  
  
While scouring the bushes, Leena suddenly fell in a little hole, and was knocked out. After a few minutes she came to, but didn't know where she was or what had happened. It was so dark that she could barely see her hands in front of her face, let alone her friends. "Bit…" she called in a worried voice as she walked down the tunnel.  
  
At the same time, Bit had noticed his fiancée's disappearance. He tugged on Leon's shoulder, and inquired, "Have you seen Leena? She was right next to me, and now she's gone." His voice seemed to take on a worried tone.  
  
"No," replied Leon, "But she's not the type to run off without telling us. Especially with all those robo-thugs running around out there. And if she was captured by the enemy, I'm sure we'd have heard the sound of her screaming at them, and robots falling to the ground."  
  
Bit looked up at the sky, and wondered where Leena had gotten too. He took out a small photo from his jacket pocket. In it, there was himself with Leena on the day they'd beaten the aliens. She was lying in his arms, and they were sharing a passionate kiss. After it was taken, Leon had found himself beaten up for spying on the two lovers, even if he'd done it as a joke.  
  
While Bit was reminiscing and worrying about Leena, she was crawling through the tunnel. Since Leena had been unconscious, she didn't know if she was at the entrance or someone had carried her to somewhere in the middle. She wasn't sure where she was going, she just wanted to find the exit. 'I just want to be with Bit again," Leena thought.  
  
After wandering for a few more minutes, Leena saw light. But it wasn't the light of the surface, it came from several lamps. The place looked like someone's home, but what kind of person lived in the ground? Leena looked around, and found that there were no more entrances to a tunnel, or the outside.  
  
But before Leena could leave, a strange creature entered the room. It looked like a small dragon that stood upright. The spikes on its back, neck, and tail were yellow, and its claws on the hands and feet as well as the big pointed tooth in the middle of its mouth was white. The belly was white, while the arms and legs were pink, the cheeks were yellow, and the rest of the body was green.  
  
- - - -  
  
What you've just seen here was the gang's first close encounter. Don't worry, the others'll catch up soon. Like what I did with Harry? Plan on getting him in some serious trouble that benefits his stupidity soon. 


	3. Joining the Rebellion

Joining the Rebellion  
  
Leena let out a scream. But just then, another creature just like him entered the room. The only difference between the second dragon and first was that the second's body was blue to the first's green. Just then, the first dragon said, "Its good to know you've escaped the guards. But where are all your friends? Did they get caught?"  
  
"No," answered Leena, "I just fell in this hole, and don't know how to get out. Can you lead me back to the entrance so I can find my friends?"  
  
"Sure," replied the two dragons in unison. Then, they took Leena by the hand, and began to retrace her steps through the tunnel.  
  
* * *  
  
"Leena…where are you?" called Bit. He didn't give a care if the guards spotted him, just that he could find Leena safe and sound. Brad and Jamie had different ideas, and were persistently trying to shut him up.  
  
Soon, Bit stumbled on the hole in the ground. "Hey guys," he exclaimed, "Take a look at this. I'd bet my CAS system that this is not a natural hole."  
  
Everyone gathered around. They all agreed that it had to be made by someone—or something. As they stared, the little green dragon popped his head out of the hole. "Here you are, we're at the exit," he said. The creature left the hole, followed by his brother. Then, last but not least, Leena climbed out.  
  
"Leena! You're alive!" screamed Bit. He was so overjoyed, that his eyes began to tear.  
  
Leena took her love in her arms and stated, "Of course I'm alive. I'll never leave you, not even if the universe crumbles at my feet." Then, they shared a kiss.  
  
The green dragon cleared his throat. "I would like to introduce myself," he said, "My name is Bub, and my brother here is Bob. The sinister Madam Luna has enslaved our planet, as well as nine others. I would like to ask you if you'd be willing to join the resistance against them?"  
  
Everyone stood there shocked. They were inside the video game. But there was no time to think about it, innocents were in trouble. So they took a vote, and unanimously decided to join up.  
  
"Great, we'll just take you to our underground base," replied Bob.  
  
* * *  
  
"The rebels have a small faction set up on every planet. I don't know how they communicate with each other, but somehow they've been coordinating attacks on every planet in this star system," stated Madam Luna. She was in her fortress briefing room, explaining the situation to Harry.  
  
Harry inquired, "So how can I stop them?"  
  
"Just follow my directions," said Madam Luna, "And I'll also teach you to battle with bubbles, like the rest of the citizens of these systems. Once you can do that, you can use that skill to crush the rebels like they were insects."  
  
* * *  
  
Meanwhile, Bit and the others had reached Bub and Bob's living quarters. The little hole was more spacious than Leena had originally thought. Each of the small doors she had seen around the house opened to reveal a bedroom, the kitchen, the bathroom, and a storage closet. Their size—as well as that of the main chamber—looked like it was to big for a pair of tiny dragons.  
  
"This isn't our real home, only our hideaway," stated Bub, "We purposely made it big enough for when we found some more allies. And also tall enough just in case one of them is a giant like you guys."  
  
Bit was about to say that he wasn't a giant, but then he realized that to a pair of tiny dragons that's how he appeared. So he asked, "Is there anybody else here with you?"  
  
Bub smirked. "Packy! Come here girl," he called. At once, a green dervish came running in. When it stopped, it looked just like a little cat that was standing upright. The body and hands were green, but the feet and area around the face was white. It also had quite a robotic look.  
  
"Packy is our mascot," stated Bob, "We found her a few months ago being tormented by the robotic guards. So we took her in. She's a pretty good bubble warrior for a robot."  
  
Packy walked right up to Leena. She then began to purr and rub herself against the young woman's leg. Leena took the hint, and began to pet her. 'She must sense that she's my favorite character to use in the game,' thought Leena.  
  
Brad wondered, "How exactly do we fight with bubbles? And what is the situation as it currently stands? We do need to know in order to help you guys out."  
  
"How should I put this?" pondered Bob, "Well, about a year ago, Madam Luna stole all the holy rainbow bubbles—one from each planet. The whole galaxy is now in eternal darkness. Most of the citizens are now locked up in work camps, making things for her scheme to conquer the universe. But several factions have risen up to challenge her ruling. We are but one of them. Our mission is to liberate our planet from her robo-goons, and move onto the snow world. As for the bubble fighting, well it isn't so hard to learn. In fact, I can teach you in a matter of hours."  
  
* * *  
  
By the end of the night, everyone knew how to battle with bubbles. Bit had taken on the pattern of their mentors, but everyone else worked out their own pattern ideas. Leena preferred to throw plenty of traps at her enemies—with a few star gifts. Brad, Naomi, and Jamie wanted to use regular colors, while the others had combinations of the two types.  
  
"Tomorrow, we'll strike the enemy strongholds. Hopefully, we will be victorious and can move onto the snow world before the week is through," stated Bob.  
  
Everyone began to cheer. They were excited about testing their strength against this new enemy. And who knew, maybe after fighting against Madam Luna, they would be able to find a way home to their own world.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, the battles begin next time. I'm going to go through the planets in the order that the game does it. You'll see which exactly they are when they come. 


	4. Attack on the First Fortress

Attack on the First Fortress  
  
Leena lay awake far into the night, thinking. She was wondering how worried her father and Leanna were. Also, she thought about Ryu and Nina. Where had those Organoids gotten to? Or had the enemy captured them?  
  
"Can't sleep?" asked a small voice behind her. Leena spun around to find Bob standing behind her. "You must be worried. I mean, you've all learned how to fight with the bubbles, but it is your first real battle tomorrow. Don't worry, when I was a younger dragon—just learning to fight—I was the same way before a competition. You have it much better, Bub, Packy, and I can back you up."  
  
"It's not that," stated Leena, "I'm worrying about our two Organoids who distracted the guards while we ran towards the bushes. And my father and foster sister, who are probably wondering where my friends and I have gotten to."  
  
"Where are you from anyway? You look like the inhabitants of the Snow World, but you're much taller and have no powers of ice," he said.  
  
Leena replied, "This may sound crazy, but we're from another dimension. A freak accident during a storm trapped us in your world. Now, we have no way to get home."  
  
"You'll get home somehow," vowed Bob, "Nothing is impossible."  
  
* * *  
  
"Now boy, I want you to protect Madam Luna while I'm gone," ordered Dreg—a small man in a salmon colored hooded robe with orange cheeks, a yellow cane, weird potion in a beaker, and an orange choker with an orange charm—the sorcerer who served Luna. He was getting into a transport planning to check out the robot production at the factory planet. With Dreg gone, Harry was the sole non-robotic general in the army. That left him with much leverage.  
  
"Yes sir," chimed Harry, "And I know the drill, leave her alone unless she calls upon me." Madam Luna was often secretive—which is why Dreg had all the jobs that he did.  
  
"Good," replied Dreg. He then got into the transport, and blasted off. Harry watched the tiny craft until it was out of sight, and mixed in with the countless stars.  
  
Harry returned inside, and headed for the situation room. A report had just come in from the Dragon Planet. He read it, and found out that strange beings seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, and had escaped into the woods—probably to join the rebels. When he looked at the included picture of the group of ten, a wicked smile crossed Harry's lips.  
  
* * *  
  
"Ready…Aim…Fire," yelled Bub. At once, the rebels fired bubbles at the Dragon Planet's Fortress. Under the dawn sky, the fires seemed that much more eerie and terrifying. The robot guards came out at once, ready for battle. Each of the eleven warriors split up, and took on an array of robotic opponents in bubble battles.  
  
For novices, the young Zians showed remarkable abilities. Leena's traps had completely immobilized her enemies, and the stars she threw were of little help. Bit was—as usual—just going with the flow, causing his opponents to fear him. Everyone else was going by their usual strategy—whether it be trapping his or her enemy or overwhelming them. After a robot was beaten, its sercuitry—not programmed to accept defeat—would overload, destroying it.  
  
But they were still up against overbearing odds. For every challenger they defeated, two more would come back with avengeance. Sooner or later, the warriors would be to tired to perform right, leaving them open to attacks.  
  
Suddenly, a pair of figures dropped from the sky. One looked like a white dragon, and the other was a cerulean bird. The pair began to rip through the lines of soldiers with their strength, freeing the field up for the resistance fighters.  
  
"Ryu, Nina," called Leena. The Organoids turned to their mistress and master—fighting right next to each other as usual. They began to fight their way in that direction. In turn, Bit and Leena fought their way to their pets. Soon the four were reunited.  
  
It wasn't long until the robot guards were completely destroyed. Then, the freedom fighters made their way into the base itself. Since most of the security force had been dispatched to deal with the outside attack, not to many remained in the base. That left them a clear path towards the cellblock where the other dragons were held.  
  
Once freed, the creatures began to celebrate. They hugged the humans who had come to the rescue of their insignificant world. And they praised their legendary heroes and warriors—Bub and Bob. Even Packy got into the spirit. Many of the children dragons wanted to pet or hug the little robo- kitty. She began to play up to her admirers.  
  
Later on, they met back in the village where Bub and Bob were born to tell the story of their fight, and how Bit and co. found their way to the Dragon Planet in the first place. Their father—who looked like Bub—and their mother—who looked like Bob—were both relieved that their sons were both ok. They had been worried when the twins weren't found in the prison—since many of their kind had been killed in the battle to save their planet.  
  
"My sons, you have done well," stated the twins' elderly father, "You're just like me when I was your age. We are finally free, and can be a family again."  
  
"Thank you father, but we have to leave now," confessed Bob.  
  
Their mother asked, "But why? We're finally together again."  
  
"Many other planets are suffering. We have no choice to go and unite with the different factions around the universe, and defeat Madam Luna," replied Bub.  
  
"Then I give you my blessings," said their father, "I wish you all luck on your journey. And I hope that your friends find their way home.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, I'd be lying if part of this fic wasn't based on the Robotech series "The Sentinels". In that series, some members of the Robotech Expeditionary Force (REF) join up with species from six other planets to free their homeworlds from the Invid Regent. I want to know, which do you like better, Harry as an evil mastermind, or Harry as a manipulated moron? Tell me in the reviews, b/c I plan on writing some fics in a Fantasy setting, and need some ideas about what to do with Harry. 


	5. Ice Woman

Ice Woman  
  
"Wow, this shuttle is so cool," exclaimed Bit. The resistance forces—now known as Ryong—was on its way to the Snow World in order to free the planet from Madam Luna's forces. Once there, they were to meet up to the resistance forces in the planet's mountains. Then, the combined forces were going to destroy the fortress.  
  
Brad, who was drinking his coffee, sighed. He thought, 'Leave it to Bit to get all excited over some crazy ride. I swear he's going to get himself killed somehow.'  
  
"Here we are," chorused the twins, "We're going in for a landing." The shuttle headed towards the ground, and put down in a mountain valley. Then, they all disembarked.  
  
"People of the Snow World, we are the resistance force Ryong. We're here to free your planet from the tyranny of Madam Luna," announced Bub. At once, they saw a young woman coming towards them. She looked like a human, but was about the size of an Organoid. Her hair was in two curly yellow braids, and she had blue eyes. Around her shoulders was a white cape, and her head was adorned with a hat of the same color. The dress on her body was blue, and her shoes were black.  
  
"Welcome Ryong," the girl said, "I am Alkanet, Princess of the Snow World."  
  
* * *  
  
"I can't believe it. Leena is here, in this dimension," stated an amazed Harry. Hearts began to take the place of his eyes. Even though he'd had the report a few days, the moron still hadn't gotten over his wonder. "It must be fate. Fear not my love, I'll rescue you from the resistance."  
  
Suddenly, one of the robots brought in another report. He handed it to Harry, and left. It stated that the rebels had been successful in freeing the Dragon Planet, and were seen heading towards the Snow World. The fortress was requesting support from the home base.  
  
"This is to good to be true," exclaimed Harry, "If I go to the Snow World, I can defeat the resistance and bring my Leena home to my arms."  
  
* * *  
  
"So you of Ryong want to help us in our fight," reiterated Alkanet. She smiled, and absently pet Packy—who was rubbing up against her side. "How can I say no? As a princess, it is my duty to do what is necessary to protect my people."  
  
The soldiers behind her cheered. When the castle had been taken, they had made sure to get the only heir to the throne out of harm, and hidden away. Now, with the ability to return home, they were overjoyed. Instantly, they went to practice their bubble throwing.  
  
"At dawn, we strike," called Alkanet to her soldiers. She could only hope that they'd heard her. But at least the members of Ryong had paid attention. They were all sitting at the meeting table, and were listening intently. After realizing that there was nothing more for her to say, the thirteen warriors went to prepare for the next day.  
  
* * *  
  
"All hail General Harry," saluted a robotic soldier. Harry was just stepping out of the transporter—accessible only by a key for members of the army.  
  
Harry replied, "It's good to be here. Now, I want you to pay attention. The rebels will certainly attack here. When they do, you must capture a female with magenta hair. She is to be my bride in the new universe."  
  
* * *  
  
When dawn came, the members of Ryong were marching towards the Snow Fortress—actually the castle where the old king resided—ready for battle. The Snow Warriors suddenly opened fire with their powers, bringing the soldiers out into the open.  
  
"Rebels," announced the commander, "You are surrounded. Surrender now, or face elimination."  
  
A sly look crossed Leena's face. At once, she and Alkanet jumped out of hiding and fired off bubbles at the soldiers. Where they stood determined, the other bots ran towards their enemy. Everyone began taking on opponents.  
  
The soldiers here were much less experienced than the ones on the Dragon Planet. Soon, the warriors had cut a clear path to the inner area of the fortress. They entered and headed for the command center, but refused to let down their guard.  
  
Their caution was justified. As they neared the throne room, a tall figure stepped out of the shadows. "Bit Cloud, I challenge you to a bubble battle. If you win, I will give up this fortress to the rebels. But if I win, you will give up Leena to me," he said.  
  
Bit knew who it was at once. He asked, "How can you join up with someone as evil as Madam Luna? And haven't you realized that you can't just take Leena like a prize?"  
  
"Why? Because she's promised me my heart's greatest desire," replied Harry.  
  
"Just accept," whispered Leena, "I have faith in your ability. Besides, if he takes me, I'll just kick him across the floor."  
  
"I'll fight," exclaimed Bit. He faced Harry, and the battle began.  
  
But when Harry had built his pattern, he failed to realize something. The more of a certain color you throw at the enemy in a combo, the more it sets up to be used against you. And that's just what happened in this instance. Bit got the luck of receiving a red bubble, and felling the whole formation that Harry had thrown at him. Many of those fallen bubbles then began attacking other bubbles that had attacked him. As a result, a hail of bubbles covered Harry's field, ending the match.  
  
Harry looked at his enemies as they closed in. He couldn't be caught here, he still had Leena to rescue. So he made a run for the transporter, and abandoned the fortress.  
  
* * *  
  
"Alkanet my dear, you have done well in rescuing our planet," stated her father, "I understand that you wish to accompany Ryong on the quest to save the universe. Very well, you have my blessings in this endeavor. Good luck to all of you."  
  
"Thank you father," replied Alkanet.  
  
Later on, the team began to plan their strategy. Bub said, "We'll next go to the Ocean Kingdom on Planet Marina. I have to warn you though, it's all under water, and you'll need special gear in order to swim and breath."  
  
So Jamie and Fara joined the scientists of the Snow Planet in developing a way to traverse the planet's depths. Everyone else just sat tight, and waited for them to finish. All could hardly wait to go forward, and continue their journey.  
  
- - - -  
  
Harry just doesn't learn, does he? Gonna get him in some more trouble soon. Oh, and Ryong means Dragon in Chinese. 


	6. Under the Sea

Under the Sea  
  
A month after the victory on the Snow World, the spaceship Unity headed in for a landing on Planet Marina. With a Snow Person tech manning the controls, the major members of Ryong got into their submarine and dived under the sea. Then the ship was returned to orbit above the planet, just in case of an emergency.  
  
"We must go to the undersea grotto," ordered Alkanet, "All reports say that's where the resistance of this planet are holding out."  
  
But before they could make it there, another submarine came by. Instantly, it began to open fire on the little craft. Bit—who was at the controls—began to use evasive maneuvers.  
  
Suddenly, a hail of rainbow, blue, and green bubbles rained down on the opposing sub. Then a small stream of all of the bubble colors knocked it down. A merman with a blue/green tail, hair, and eyes (all of different shades) came swimming out of the cave nearby. He made a hand motion that seemed to ask them to follow him. Bit complied, and speeded towards his little hiding place.  
  
Inside the cave, there was an area above sea level. The submarine was parked, and the crew disembarked. At once the merman stuck his head out of the water. A small, purple whale-like creature with red eyes followed him.  
  
"Thank goodness, I thought the scurvy rats were going to make you walk the plank," stated the merman. The whale, in response, said, "Monsta"  
  
Leena inquired, "Who are you and why did you risk your lives for us?"  
  
"Me name be Marino, and this is my fateful companion Monsta. I'm a Royal Guard for Princess Aquarius of the merpeople. But a full four seasons ago the scurvy rats took over the capital, and enslaved my people. Monsta's whole family was killed in the invasion, along with many other brave battle dogs. I escaped with him and Aquarius, and we hid in the grotto with the rest of my unit. But about the time of the last full moon, they striked out against us and only Monsta and I got away," he answered.  
  
"Don't worry," said Bit, "We are the resistance force Ryong, and we're here to get your planet back for you. The attack can take place tomorrow if you want even."  
  
Marino cheered up. "Thank ye all of you."  
  
* * *  
  
"Harry, we can't jut go rushing into a battle with the rebels. How can we be sure that the lost transport isn't just a few militants on Marina? Let them take care of it," yelled Dreg.  
  
Harry sighed. He really should have waited for Madam Luna to wake up before bringing up the proposition of going on a trip. She was more likely to listen than her general—especially since capturing Leena was part of her side of the bargain.  
  
"I wouldn't expect you to understand a man in love Dreg. But fear not, for soon I will find a way to destroy the rebels in one swift blow. Then Bit Cloud will be no more than a slave at my feet, and Leena will be my queen," he blurted out.  
  
Dreg began to wonder why this nut job was even let on in the first place. All he cared about was becoming a king in his world and marrying a certain girl. 'Oh well,' he thought, 'We'll just keep him on to destroy the rebels. Then, we'll kill him…and the girl he holds most dear.'  
  
* * *  
  
The next day at dawn Marino led the warriors to the palace. Since they used a series of caves that ran all over the island (Marino and Monsta could survive on land, but were just quicker in the water) they weren't spotted at all. Soon, the explosives that had been developed on the Snow Planet were in place, and detonated it.  
  
The explosions shocked the guards out of bed. With all of Marino's directions, the carnage was far from the prisons, so only robots were destroyed. But now they were all expecting the attack, and gathering their wits.  
  
Unbeknownst to them, the rebels had returned to their hideout, and were waiting for another go. The plan had called for using the sneak attack to scare the enemy, and then coming back at night. In theory, Jamie had said, it would get them all worked up, and thus more susceptible to attack.  
  
It turned out to be a good idea. That night, the guards were too jittery to even hold the keys to the cells. So when the steady streams of bubble hit them, their comrades weren't even able to fight back. In a matter of minutes, Bit and the others had found their was down to the cellblock.  
  
"Marino, you came," exclaimed a young mermaid. Her hair, eyes, and tail were a light green color, and a smile was on her lips. "I never doubted you."  
  
"Aquarius…" Marino whispered, "I would never leave ye in such a horrible place. You know I really love you. But I must leave here after this. Many others are suffering under the hands of that scurvy wench Madam Luna, and I intend to join the members of Ryong in freeing them."  
  
* * *  
  
They stayed on Marina for about a week, resting and helping rebuild the castle. But soon everyone was getting restless again for the battlefield. So they called the Unity down from orbit, and began to take on supplies.  
  
While this was happening, Marino was saying goodbye to Aquarius. "Don't worry me love, I'll beat Madam Luna and come back home to ye," he vowed.  
  
Aquarius replied, "I will wait Marino. Even if the stars fall from the sky and the heavens burn, I will never falter in my love for you."  
  
At that moment, the ship was ready for launching. Marino leaned in closer, and gave his true love a kiss. Then, he boarded the Unity with Monsta, and left the planet. Aquarius swam in place in the water, not taking her eyes off the ship until it was a distant star in the sky.  
  
- - - -  
  
We're sure flying across the universe. There is a total of ten planets, as well as Madam Luna's base. I also have some special sidetrips they'll be forced to go on. So expect a long adventure. 


	7. Into the Woods

Into the Woods  
  
Ryong's next destination was the Forest Planet. Its inhabitants were a mix of fauns and synecs (a race of people who always looked like babies). Since both species were relatively small, the forces there were rumored to be much smaller, as there wasn't as much space in the fortress that needed guarding. So the warriors expected a short campaign.  
  
The dense forests provided cover for the Unity as it touched down in the dead of night. But the resistance base that Ryong was looking for was mysteriously gone—most likely burned down by guards. So they spent the night hiding in their ship, and wondering how they could salvage the mission.  
  
The next day, Leena felt herself being shook awake. "Bit," she mumbled, "Not now. Can't it wait until next year, I'm sleepy?" But when she looked behind her, she saw a small child in a green frog suit. Leena let out a scream, and woke everyone up.  
  
"What is your problem Leena? We were all asleep," yelled Brad. His response was Leena's shoe being thrown at him. Then he saw the child, as well as a little girl with pink hair and a pink dress, and two yellow goat horns in her hair.  
  
Bub examined the children. "The kid in the frog suit is definitely a synec. And the girl is a faun. They must be survivors of the resistance."  
  
"Sorry if Kurol woke you up," apologized the girl, "He's a prankster sometimes. And he's still only about a year old, and doesn't know any better. Well allow me to introduce myself. My name is Woolen. I'm one of the fauns of the Forest Planet."  
  
"Are you with the resistance? Where is your base?" inquired Alkanet.  
  
Woolen gave the princess a forlorn look. "Kurol and I are all that remains. We were out picking mushrooms for dinner when the resistance fell. The fate of our comrades is still unknown. But we can still help you all. Let's head back to our place."  
  
* * *  
  
Back at Madam Luna's headquarters, Harry was preparing for another trip. He had managed to convince Madam Luna that he could head the resistance off at the pass. They would most certainly get to the Forest Planet before him, but he could arrange an ambush on Navajo—a planet on the frontier.  
  
"Remember men, you are to destroy as many of the rebels as you can. But you must not, I repeat must not, harm the young girl with magenta hair," he instructed.  
  
"Yes sir," chorused his soldiers, "Anything you say."  
  
Harry laughed to himself. 'Leena my sweet, I so hate to make you wait. But I must act strategic in order to mount my rescue efforts for you.'  
  
* * *  
  
"The map says that the enemy is held up in the center of the forest. So we should use the trees as cover and sneak around from all sides. Then, when Leena and Alkanet toss up some star bubbles, we will strike at once for the tactical advantage," said Jamie.  
  
Woolen asked, "Are you sure this will work?"  
  
"Positive," replied Jamie, "Back home, Fara and I are strategists for a professional Zoids Team."  
  
"What are Zoids?" she asked.  
  
Jamie wondered how best to explain. But just then, Bit cut in. "We fight in Zoid battles much like you fight in bubble battles. Zoids are giant mechanical animals that each have different abilities and can carry different types of weapons. All of us make up a team of our own."  
  
After much reassurance, Woolen finally gave in to the plan. Although she was still skeptical on the whole idea, she felt she could trust the young man's words. Besides it was the only chance she had of rescuing her family from the enemy.  
  
So the next day, the members of Ryong were led to the fortress. Everyone spread out into teams of four or. Bit, Bob, Bub, Brad, and Ryu came in from the north. Leena was going to hit the south with Alkanet, Naomi, and Nina. Kurol, Marino and Monsta flanked Jamie and Leon from the east. And Packy and Woolen joined Fara and Julianna from the west.  
  
Soon everyone was in place for the attack. Leena and Alkanet launched the star bubbles, causing some early morning fireworks. The guards began to run outside, and were quickly engaged by the resistance. As usual, they couldn't stand up to the onslaught, and were quickly defeated.  
  
But the commander was still inside. Everyone ran in, and found him in the receiving room. "Welcome," he said, "Why did you come here?"  
  
"To defeat you," chorused the members of Ryong.  
  
But the person who stepped forward was Kurol. He gave a look of defiance to the commander. The commander laughed. "So a young synec challenges me. I accept, how could I—a natural warrior—lose to a mere child?"  
  
Everyone was worried as the battle began. But Kurol was a good fighter for a young kid. In only a few seconds, the commander was on the floor short-circuiting.  
  
After the mess had been cleaned up, Kurol and Woolen went to the dungeons in search of their families. But there was no trace of either child's parents. "I guess they were killed in the uprisings," stated an upset Woolen, "But I won't give up. Maybe they were taken to Madam Luna's fortress. And if they are indeed dead, I wish to avenge them. Will you all take Kurol and myself with you on your mission to rescue the universe?"  
  
Bit replied, "Sure Woolen, the more the merrier I always say."  
  
And so they began the process of restocking their ship, and getting ready for the next mission. It was going to take them to the frontier planet Navajo. That place was rumored to be inhabited by spirits of good who would be more than willing to help them, and could easily hide from the enemy—so there was little chance of losing them before Ryong arrived.  
  
"Once we finish here," exclaimed Bob, "We will be half finished with the rescue efforts. And after those, we will be ready to go on to Madam Luna's fortress."  
  
- - - -  
  
Another fight done with. What is Harry planning do you ask? You'll see next chapter. 


	8. The Totem Guardian

The Totem Guardian  
  
"Closing in on the old ruins," stated Bub. They were preparing to land the Unity on a ruin far from the fortress, and start closing in from there. Along the way, they hoped to run into some of the friendly spirits of Navajo.  
  
They didn't have to wait long. For as soon as they landed, a pair of young brown haired boys came out from behind a ruined wall. The duo was wearing vests, shorts, a pair of stripes on each cheek and headbands with a pair of white feathers with a red stripe in each. One boy was wearing a blue vest with red shorts a red headband and yellow stripes on his cheeks, while his counterpart had on a red vest with blue shorts a yellow headband and red stripes on his cheeks. Following close behind, was a walking totem pole. He was a tan color, except for several stripes. The first was a pair of alternating white and red ones, and the next two were gold with the bottom one having small spikes and the top one having larger spikes. His headband was gold, and was filled with the same feathers as the boys—except for a black and red one that came out of the sides of his headband. Finally, he had a pair of red stripes on each cheek that were connected by a downward stripe that went past the bottom one.  
  
"Me Tam-Tam," announced the totem, "These boys Eagle and Hawk. I adopt them when they were little babies."  
  
Eagle—the boy with the yellow headband—gave a bow to Bit, while his brother did the same thing to Leena. "We know you come to save us from dark spirits that live in the evil fortress over the hills," he said. Then, he ran to the exit of the ruins with his brother. "We know shortcut through hills, follow us. It won't be long before we arrive at enemy castle."  
  
With nothing to lose, the members of Ryong followed the two boys. Tam-Tam brought up the rear, perhaps in case someone tried to ambush them. They were right, by nightfall, the team made camp in the pass that led to the fortress.  
  
* * *  
  
"I knew they'd come," exclaimed Harry, "Now, I must find a way to take Leena back." He sat at his desk and began to brainstorm.  
  
Suddenly, one of the robots entered and handed him a report. It stated that the rebels were advancing on the fortress from the hills. If not stopped, they would probably take it by the next evening. A plan of action was recommended.  
  
Harry looked at him. "I have already got a plan on how to deal with them. Since this planet is only populated by spirits, it'll be easy to re- take. So we'll destroy the fortress with the rebels inside. The only thing I need to do is take Leena away first. I know just what I'll do with her then, so all that remains is to think of how exactly to get her away from Bit in the first place."  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, the warriors rose at dawn and advanced on the fort. In only about two hours, they stood in its courtyard. But something was amiss. The guards hadn't noticed their advance at all. Not even Leena and Alkanet exploding star bubbles could alert them.  
  
"Must sleep in here," stated Bit. But even he had doubts to that. With only spirits to utilize for work, it was impossible to get slaves. So the guards had to do all the work themselves. Bit knew something was amiss, but couldn't put his finger on it.  
  
With no reason not to, they entered the fortress. As they descended into the depths, it began to get darker. Everyone just hoped there was only one way to go, or they'd all get separated in an instant. Finally, they saw a light.  
  
But this room looked more like a torture chamber than a receiving hall. The whole group was all for going back, when they realized that Leena was nowhere to be found. A frantic Bit grabbed some ax handles from the floor and started a fire. Then he put the edge of a club on fire, and returned to the maze in order to search for his beloved. The others soon followed suit.  
  
After only a minute of searching, they found another turn off that Leena might have taken. At once they entered it and kept their eyes out for Leena. But soon the wind blew through the tunnel, blowing out Bit's torch. They were again left in complete darkness.  
  
The warriors stumbled through the remainder of the tunnel. Soon they saw a light. As they approached it, the room began to take on the form of a fancy banquet hall. And at the table, was a very smug Harry Champ. "So Bit, you've finally arrived." Then the door closed behind them, locking the members of Ryong in the hall.  
  
"Harry, you're gonna get it now," yelled Bit. He brought out his bubble board as if to challenge his rival to a battle. A flame of anger rose up in his eyes.  
  
"Not now Bit," replied Harry, "There's something I want you to see first." He snapped his fingers, and one of his guards came in. And in its titanic grip was Leena.  
  
"Bit…get going, it's a trap," screamed Leena.  
  
Harry laughed an insane laugh. "It's too late for that now. The rebels are already caught in my trap, and are soon going to die. But enough of that my dear. We are now going to head to the Carnival World where I've planned our wedding." With that, he stepped on the transporter with his guard, and the three of them warped away.  
  
"Leeeeeeeeeeeeeenaaaaaaaaaa," called Bit. But he didn't have much longer to scream, for the explosives were set off. All of the guards who had remained to operate the systemary were killed instantly, as well as everything in a three-mile radius.  
  
* * *  
  
"Bit, where are you? Come and rescue me from Harry," pleaded the dream Leena. She was floating away from him on the clouds, and he was chasing her. But no matter how fast Bit ran, he could never seem to catch up.  
  
Suddenly, the young warrior woke up. He and the others in his group were back in the ruins where they had landed the Unity. 'How long have I been out?' he asked himself, 'And how did I survive the blast anyway?'  
  
Tam-Tam came up to him. He inquired, "You ok? Me magic saved all from certain death, but others are injured somewhat."  
  
Bit looked around and saw his friends caring for their injuries. "I'm just glad everyone else made it out alive. Listen, we need to leave ASAP for the Carnival World to rescue Leena from Harry. If none of you are going to come along, I'll go at it alone. She means the world to me." That proposal was met with a unanimous yes.  
  
- - - -  
  
How are they going to save Leena from Harry's clutches? Don't worry everybody, Bit's got a plan. This is a prime example of how power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. I'm definitely not letting Harry get his way this time. 


	9. Night For Romance

Night For Romance  
  
Harry was running around like a madman. He had arrived on the Carnival World right before the fortress on Navajo exploded, and had immediately begun preparing for his wedding. But the Night Fairies that inhabited the planet would rather play than help him set up. So he was screaming his head off at each and every one of them.  
  
But there was one fairy working diligently. Her name was Cleon, and she was in charge of guarding Leena. She had silver purple hair, magenta eyes, a white dress with magenta lining the triangular cuts at the bottom, white boots with toes an the tops lined with magenta, a magenta color of several triangles, and finally a long magenta jester style hat with a gold band that covered the head, yellow stars, and stars attached to the points—which came down below her knees.  
  
"So miss Leena, your friends were killed on explosion on Navajo, and you need to escape before the wedding?" she inquired. Leena shook her head yes (Harry had gagged her). "Good, I'm actually a member of the resistance who's snuck in to spy on Madam Luna. Don't worry, I'll go get help for you and be back before you get married." With that, she motioned to another fairy who was acting as her stunt double, and flew off.  
  
* * *  
  
It wasn't too much longer until Unity docked on the Carnival World. Navajo and it were only a few hours apart, and they weren't taking any chances. So when Cleon went looking for someone to rescue Leena, she spotted the members of Ryong easily.  
  
She began to call, "Hey you guys, I need your help. A young girl needs to be rescued from the Castle of Wonder before she marries the man who murdered her true love. Can you give me a hand here or will I have to get her out myself?"  
  
In an instant, Bit knew that the girl was Leena. So he ran towards the young fairy and agreed to help. "Just lead us to this Castle of Wonder. Harry is not getting the last laugh on this one. Who is he to make Leena marry him against his will."  
  
"He's Harry," chorused the other six Zians in Ryong.  
  
Cleon looked confused. "But if you're her friends, how did you survive the explosion she claimed to have taken place on Navajo?"  
  
"Simple," answered Alkanet, "We had a totem spirit with us. Isn't that right Tam-Tam?" Her reply was a lengthy monologue about justice and respecting the one you love. Everyone else in Ryong then sweatdropped. "Sure Tam-Tam," replied Alkanet.  
  
Cleon began to whine, "It's this way you guys. Follow me and we'll be there in less than a hour. When we finish there I'll lead you to the fortress to free my people."  
  
* * *  
  
Leena began to cry as she was led down the isle with fairy magic. Harry had fashioned her an ornate wedding gown that she hated. When she married Bit, Leena had planned to wear her mother's dress. She liked a much simpler style than this.  
  
Harry on the other hand was looking at her with the eyes of one of those cartoon wolves. He could hardly wait until she was his and his alone. Leena's beauty was only fit for a man with exceptionally good looks himself.  
  
When she was at the altar with Harry, the robotic minister began the service. But Harry refused to let her reject him. At the point when Leena was supposed to say if she wanted to marry him or not, he glared at the robot to continue.  
  
"If there is anyone here who thinks these two should not be wed…" began the minister. But he was cut off with the door opening and Bit Cloud storming into the hall. A few of Harry's men moved to stop him, but Bit easily defeated each one.  
  
"I object," he said, "Look at how this wedding is being carried out. You have poor Leena taken to the altar by magic, chained and gagged from head to toe, and refuse to give her say on whether or not she agrees to this. Harry, don't you realize that even if you married her here, she wouldn't love you at all? It would still be one-sided, and Leena'd be miserable."  
  
Harry screamed, "Do you think I care? Leena will be mine whether she likes it or not. I don't know how you survived Navajo, but now your luck has run out."  
  
Unbeknownst to Harry, while Bit was talking, Nina and Cleon were getting busy at untying Leena's ropes. Soon she was free. Then Leena got on Nina's back, and flew over to Bit. She put her arms around him, and gave him a kiss.  
  
"Why Leena? How can you love a man like him, and not someone rich and powerful like me? What does Bit have that I don't?" demanded Harry.  
  
Leena stared him down. "Bit is a kind and gentle soul. You spend too much time stalking me. I would never marry a man who cared more for himself than for me," she replied.  
  
Harry let out a cry of despair. Then, Leena joined hands with Bit, and they left. Cleon flew out the window, and Nina followed suit. Soon all that was left of Harry's wedding was the uneaten cake, and one angry groom.  
  
* * *  
  
Everyone cheered as Leena and Bit returned to the Unity. They were all relieved to have their friends back with them safely. Bit and Leena then embraced and began to kiss like they'd never kissed in their whole lives.  
  
Soon after, Cleon flew into the camp. "I hate to interrupt, but we must hit the fortress as soon as we can. My people are ready to fight back as soon as we give those bots a bloody lip. So when are we gonna leave for it?"  
  
Bit and Leena looked at each other. Cleon was right, they couldn't just leave her people in their plight. So they silently agreed to finish the mission first. There would be plenty of time to be together when the innocents of this planet weren't in any more danger.  
  
- - - -  
  
Next time we'll go to the Carnival Fortress. Harry's sure going crazy, isn't he. Like he ever was sane to begin with. I once wrote a character like Harry (conceited and refusing to give up in love) before I even saw Zoids. But the fic is unfinished b/c my kid sister lost two episodes and I got mad. 


	10. Night Life

Night Life  
  
After rescuing Leena from the wedding hall, the members of Ryong met to discuss their strategy for dealing with the fortress on the Carnival World. It was in the middle of a crowded city, where there was set to be a parade to honor Madam Luna the next afternoon. Harry was going to be directing it along with Dreg, while the queen herself was stated to appear via a videophone—she hated to travel. Hoping for a chance to take out the leaders, the resistance decided to attack at that time. They planned to get there early, and Naomi would watch for the parade's first float—since she had the sharpest eyes out of the team.  
  
That night, they all dug themselves into the mountains outside the target town. But Cleon kept running around the camp, impatient to get it over with. "Is it time yet?" she would ask about every five minutes. To which someone else would tell her how many hours were left. Finally, she settled down and went to sleep.  
  
* * *  
  
"Harry," said Dreg, "You can't just sit there like a lump on a log. We have a parade tomorrow, and you need to be in tip top shape."  
  
Harry yelled, "How could you be so insensitive? I just had my true love stolen from me again. When I next see Bit Cloud, I'll make him pay."  
  
Dreg walked up to Harry, and slapped him in the face. "Just because you lost some girl doesn't mean you can just mope around. Maybe you should look for someone different."  
  
"I don't want another girl, I want my Leena," screamed Harry. He returned to his corner, and continued to mope around.  
  
Dreg sweatdropped. "I don't believe it," he exclaimed, "Our most valuable ally in this quest, and he spends all his time on one girl."  
  
* * *  
  
"Let's get going, the parade won't wait for us," called Bit. The rest of Ryong fell in right behind him. Then they began to march towards the city. Once there, they hid themselves in the crowd of watching people, and waited.  
  
The wait wasn't long. Within a few minutes, the float at the start of the parade entered Naomi's view. As it came closer, it was clear that neither Harry nor Dreg was on it. So they continued to wait, until at last they saw the float that carried their enemies.  
  
Ryu and Nina let out their battle cries, startling Harry and Dreg. At that moment, Ryong ran out of the crowd, ready for a bubble battle. The guards began to attack them in order to defend the float, but they were easily conquered.  
  
Soon only Harry and Dreg were left. Harry instantly ran towards Bit, while Dreg attacked Bub. All of the Night Fairies—as well as the other members of Ryong—began to watch the epic matches. Dreg was quite skilled, but Bub was motivated by the dream of protecting his people. At the same time, Bit was beating the tar out of Harry, as usual. In a matter of moments, the two members of Ryong had conquered their enemies.  
  
"So long Harry," teased Leena. Then, they all ran for the fortress, since the populace had either ran away or taken up their weapons in order to fight alongside the rebels. Harry reached out his arm towards their escape rout, hoping to grab Leena's hand. Then, he fainted. Dreg was forced to pick him up and drag him to the teleporter.  
  
At the fortress, a new unit of guards ambushed the party. Everyone began to hammer them with bubbles, and soon the guards went down. Then, they all ran into the fortress. Instantly they began to look for the control room.  
  
As usual, it wasn't too hard to find, since many of the architects had similar design ideas. But no one was there. "Probably was at the parade with Harry," stated Bit, "Or maybe it was Harry. That's a scary thought."  
  
Leena agreed, "Yeah. If Harry was in command of his own fortress, I'd think this Madam Luna needs psychiatric help." Every member of The Blitz Team began to laugh at that joke. They all knew that Harry was unlikely to handle such a job.  
  
So they all began to search for the jail cells. But after several hours of looking around the castle, they'd seen no type of prison. Their search for the slaves had drawn one big blank for Ryong. Bit asked, "What's the deal here anyway?"  
  
Suddenly Cleon spoke up. "There is no jail in this castle. You can't chain a Night Fairy, they just slip out again. So—in order to gain our cooperation as slaves—Madam Luna's army destroyed much of our amusement parks. All the fairies on the streets are our only citizens."  
  
Everyone stared at the young fairy. "Why didn't you tell us earlier?" asked Leena—who was clearly annoyed at this.  
  
"I didn't think it was important. Besides, doesn't this make your task much easier?" replied Cleon. At that, the other members of Ryong facefaulted.  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, the Night Fairies were cleaning up their parks in order to return to their life of entertainment. All except Cleon that is. She was planning to head along with Ryong in order to go to the Planet of Sages—their next target.  
  
So after a few good-byes, the young fairy boarded the Unity. Once everyone was aboard, the ship lifted off. As it began to fly away, all of the fairies gathered on the streets of every city on the planet. Then, they all began to wave at their heroes.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, were on our way again. Harry doesn't learn, does he? 


	11. Wise Man on the Mountain

Wise Man on the Mountain  
  
Unity landed about four days later on a mountain a few miles away from the fortress on the Planet of Sages. Everyone disembarked from the craft and began to set up camp. Then, Bit and Leena were sent to look for anyone who may be willing to help them.  
  
"Hey, doesn't that cave up ahead look suspicious?" asked Bit.  
  
Leena replied, "Yeah, it does…kind of. Why don't we go check it out?" So the duo armed themselves with flashlights, and went down into the darkness.  
  
* * *  
  
Meanwhile, at the main camp, Brad was joining Leon and Marino in a game of poker. Every once in a while, he looked at the direction that his friends had gone in, hoping to see them when they returned. But as the minutes passed, he saw nothing at all.  
  
"Where are they anyway?" inquired Jamie.  
  
Fara told her boyfriend, "I wouldn't worry, they can take care of themselves."  
  
"They'll be back soon," stated Brad, "In fact, they're probably on their way back from wherever they'd gotten to right now."  
  
* * *  
  
But Brad couldn't be more wrong. For at that moment, Bit and Leena were making their way through the tunnels under the mountains. Neither hide nor hair of the Sages who inhabited the planet was found, and the two warriors were getting discouraged. They would have gone back in an instant, only they couldn't remember the way out.  
  
"I'm sure we'll find it eventually," said Bit.  
  
Leena gave him 'the look'. "Sure Bit, when we're both old and gray. Oh, why are perfect people destined to suffer in such ways? It's not fair, people like Harry should be getting all this pain, not people like myself." She began to cry.  
  
Bit put his arms around Leena protectively. Just then, they saw a light at the end of the tunnel. Thinking it was the way out, they ran towards it. But just as they got there, the two saw the landscape was much different then where they'd entered. The mountains were gone, leaving room for the rugged plains. Also, the fortress wasn't miles away, it was more like half a mile.  
  
Bit and Leena were all for turning back. But just then, a strange man appeared before them. He was extremely short and bald. In fact, the only hair on him was his eyebrows, as well as a large beard and mustache. His ears were like that of an elf. Adorning his body was a red robe, with a yellow stripe going down the center from neck to foot. In the yellow, was a design that was remnant of a pitchfork. Both warriors were surprised at his sudden appearance. Bit held Leena closer to him, as if to protect her from whatever the old man did.  
  
"Don't be afraid," assured the old man, "I am G, leader of the Sages. I know why you have come, you wish to defeat Madam Luna and free our planet. Ever since the takeover, I have been awaiting the arrival of the one who will fight for us. Now, I will help the both of you as you assault the fortress they call their base of operations."  
  
"But the others…" began Bit.  
  
But G shushed him. "You two alone will suffice. I take it that neither of you quite yet know why you have come to our world." When they both shook their heads, he continued. "Well, you both were summoned to save us from our enemy. I had magically searched the many dimensions in order to find you two, and once I finally found you, I sent a magic storm to bring you to our world. But all of your friends just happened to come along, as well as the boy Madam Luna has hired. It seemed that my storm brought everyone in its path who was playing a game based on our world."  
  
"Why us?" inquired Leena.  
  
"You have the Ultimate X Zoids in your world," responded G, "The fact that you could control such power made you worthy candidates. And that's all I will say at the moment. Come now, we must attack the fortress immediately. The time for us to talk has long passed."  
  
* * *  
  
The soldiers at the fortress weren't quite prepared for the attack. But it did surprise them to see a strike-force of only three warriors—one of them a native of the planet they were on. They wondered how anybody could hope to gain anything with such a small unit. Especially since the guards numbered well into the hundreds.  
  
But what they hadn't counted on was the tactics of the enemy. Bit, Leena, and G ran through the units as fast as they could. Once they reached the control room, they stopped running and sealed the enemy outside. As usual, the only soldier in the control room was the commander. "Foolish rebels, you will prepare to feel my wrath," he exclaimed.  
  
"Not today pal," replied Bit, "You're going down, courtesy of Bit Cloud."  
  
So the battle for the Sage Planet began. It was your run-of-the-mill commander, not too seasoned in bubble battles. In the other corner was a young man who knew fighting like he was born with a weapon in his hand. Leena was cheering her fiancée on in the battle. Less than a minute into the fight, Bit unleashed a combo that sent the guard reeling.  
  
"Good show destined ones," said G, "I take it you would like to know the real reason that you were chosen to save our world?"  
  
Leena replied, "Yes, this is quite a baffling mater. I mean, if our powers as Zoid pilots are only part of the reason, there must be something behind even that."  
  
"It may not be my place to tell you, but I do believe that warriors such as yourselves have a right to know about your extraordinary powers," said the old Sage.  
  
- - - -  
  
Oh, a mystery. I just love adding twists to my stories. Dang, forgot to make Harry do something stupid today. Oh well, I'll just have to try again next time. 


	12. Unknown Past

Unknown Past  
  
"Well, the both of you were given a special ability as young children," began G, "I'm not sure if it was with your parents or a friend of the family. A deranged scientist may have even kidnapped you both. It may have not even been the same person who preformed the procedure on the both of you. But that experiment left you with special gifts."  
  
Now they were confused even more. Neither Bit nor Leena had ever shown any secret powers outside of kicking butt with their Ultimate Xs. "What type of power do you speak of? Neither of us quite understand what you're talking about," replied Leena.  
  
G went on. "When you were about two—from the energy your power seems to give off—you were fused with Organoids. I'm sure you know how an Organoid can allow its pilot to ride inside of it if the situation turns deadly. Well, this experiment took that a step further. You can become one with your Organoids, and gain added attributes in battle. It also seems as if the two Organoids who created the Organoid systems in your Zoids were the ones used for the experiment. That is the reason you two were chosen to become Ultimate X pilots in the first place—you were destined to fight alongside of those two Organoids. But I'm surprised you haven't tried it yet."  
  
Bit told him, "That's news to us. Ryu and Nina have never tried to merge with either of us. Our Zoids yes—because the systems they created in those Zoids are kind of like their homes—but not Leena and me. Besides, I can't remember my childhood, and Leena lost her mother young. So if any of our parents were involved in this experiment, they couldn't tell us about it."  
  
"Let's go Bit," said Leena, "We need to get back to the others." They grabbed their equipment, and turned to leave the fortress.  
  
Just then, a strange ghost appeared. He was white, with what looked like purple shoes under the sheet that was his body. His face was black with two big red eyes. "Help me…" he begged, "Only the destined ones will be able to free my soul and return what I've lost. I must fight alongside them until that fateful day arrives."  
  
"Who might you be?" inquired Bit.  
  
The ghost answered, "Maita, that is my name."  
  
"What have you lost?" asked Leena.  
  
Maita replied, "My past, from when I was alive. All I know is my name. Only by fighting against the evils in the universe may it be revealed to me."  
  
Bit shrugged. He wasn't much for believing in ghosts, but this was another universe after all. Besides, this poor creature didn't deserve to have his past taken from him in death. So he said, "Sure Maita, you may come along with us."  
  
* * *  
  
Meanwhile, Harry was coming to the Planet of Sages on his ship. He had been informed of an imminent attack by the rebellion, and was being sent into battle. But what he hadn't counted on was the rebels attaining a complete victory while he was away. The reason he was coming by ship was because somehow the teleporters had shorted out.  
  
"Can't this thing go any faster?" he yelled at the robot driver.  
  
"No Master Harry," it replied, "This is why we invented teleporters in the first place. We don't have the technology to build spaceships with the speed of the rebels' ship—which they call the Unity. The only ships we have are all used for transport, since that is nearly impossible with the space available in the teleporters."  
  
To which Harry began to grumble. He ordered to use the rebels' tactic of hiding in mountainous ranges far from the forts. But what he failed to realize was that if the rebels used that tactic, they would be hiding in the mountains. So he wasn't expecting it when the Unity's main gun opened fire, and his ship fell to the planet's surface far from the mountains.  
  
"That was smooth," the robot joked. Harry responded by punching it in the face. But the metal that made up the bot was heavy, and his hand began to throb. King Moron then began jumping around the crash sight crying in agony.  
  
* * *  
  
After spending the night in the fortress, the stray members of Ryong began their journey home. A few hours later, Bit, Leena, G, and Maita returned to the camp. Everyone instantly came running to meet their friends, and inquire about their adventures. As a result, they all stayed up late into the night telling stories to each other.  
  
"So, some sort of experiment," pondered Leon, "Maybe something happened to you when mom took you to see her friend Faye—who was a Zoid researcher. I couldn't tell you about where Bit got it though. Hey, why don't you both try it out?  
  
So they called over Ryu and Nina. Both Organoids—sensing their true purpose about to be fulfilled—came over instantly. They opened their chest cavities as if to help their masters escape the Zoid they were in. Bit and Leena went inside, and waited.  
  
Suddenly, bright lights illuminated the sky. When they cleared, the members of Ryong saw Bit and Leena standing in front of them. But something was different. Bit had a long tail, bat-like wings, and the face of a dragon. Leena had a feathery tail, elegant wings—her hands were still there though—and the face of a bird.  
  
"This is our power," exclaimed Bit, "And we intend to use it to help us in the fight against Madam Luna. Now, are we going to go onto the Planet of Magic to free its inhabitants, or are we all just going to sit here like lumps on a log?"  
  
"We're on our way! To fight or die for our cause. Freedom for all living things." yelled every other member of Ryong.  
  
- - - -  
  
Not bad for a power thought up spur of the moment in the flow of typing, eh? The reason I added more about the Organoid system is that some people have been confused in my other stories. I theorized that an Organoid enters a Zoid in order to make the system—not gets turned into an Organoid system by humans—and then they leave to look for new pilots worthy of their power. But destiny kept Ryu and Nina close to the Zoids they'd created the system for, in order to be with their partners. Oh, and Bit and Leena will stay transformed for much of the rest of the story. 


	13. Believe in Magic

Believe in Magic  
  
As the members of Ryong traveled to the Planet of Magic, they got accustomed to Bit and Leena's new powers. The duo hadn't de-transformed after trying it out-in order to gain a tactical advantage should they be attacked. But everyone-especially the members of The Blitz Team-was pretty shaken by their presence. They all waited for the duo to separate from their Organoids and turn back into themselves again.  
  
"Leena," inquired Leon one day, "When are you going to take off that guise? I'm beginning to think something is wrong."  
  
"When it is over dear brother. We are using this for tactical advantages," she replied.  
  
After that, no one pressed the issue. The Blitz Team knew that it did no good to argue with Leena once she'd set her mind on something. None of them knew the reasons for the other members of Ryong's silence, but they all thought G had something to do with it. The old sage was full of secrets, no one thought they'd ever figure him out.  
  
* * *  
  
In a few days, they'd reached their destination. As usual, the ship was hidden in the mountains sos not to be seen. But this time, their hiding spot was discovered. After finally realizing the tactics of Ryong- after countless errors-Harry had patrols covering the mountains. Surprised, Ryong wasn't as ready for battle as usual.  
  
Just as things looked bleak, a mysterious alien showed up. He was wearing a white robe with red diamonds from the neck right down the sleeves- so that half the diamond showed on the front, and the other half showed on the back. Around his neck was a golden amulet with a turquoise jewel in the middle of a golden circle. His aqua green face was similar to a slug, and he had eyes like a lobster. The creature blasted the robots with a strange magic, shutting them down.  
  
After defeating the bots, the creature turned towards the members of Ryong. "Watashi no namae Bramb. Nan no anata no mono gaikoku senshis?" he asked.  
  
No one seemed to know what he was saying. He was definitely one weird alien. But he was also powerful, so they didn't want to risk angering him. Safely, Bit said, "Thank you for the rescue. My name is Bit Cloud. And these are all my friends in the rebel group Ryong, who wish to free the universe from Madam Luna."  
  
Everyone else introduced themselves. But the only things the creature seemed to understand were the names of the warriors. And he kept repeating to them, "Watashi no namae Bramb," and then the name of the person who'd just introduced himself of herself.  
  
Finally G spoke up. "I'm betting he's trying to tell us his name. Why, it's probably this Bramb he keeps mentioning. I haven't lived hundreds of years for nothing-although I'm just as stumped as the rest of you when he speaks."  
  
After a few hours of trying to communicate with Bramb, one thing became clear. He was trying to save the world from Madam Luna as well. So they welcomed him into Ryong. By this time, night had come to the planet, so they set up camp and awaited an assault in the morning.  
  
* * *  
  
"All units in the mountains were wiped out sir," said a robot, "They seemed to be engaging in battle, and then they just suddenly stopped functioning." Harry grimaced at the report. It was impossible for anyone to destroy that many robots in such a short span of time. How had the rebels managed to do it then?  
  
"Bit Cloud has the devil's own luck. But next time, I will defeat him. Ready my secret weapon for when Ryong tries to attack," he ordered.  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, everyone rose from their slumber early, ready for battle. Even Kurol and Woolen awoke with the dawn-and as kids they needed more sleep than the other members. Bramb pointed towards the west and told them, "Toride no Madam Luna nishi no koko de."  
  
"Ok, then we'll go west," said Bit. Everyone formed up and began marching towards the fortress. As usual, Bit and Leena were near the front of the group, only behind Bramb-who was acting as their guide on account of being the only one who knew the planet's layout.  
  
The security on the fort was surprisingly light. That made Bit and Leena suspicious of what awaited them inside. Usually security was so heavy that they could hardly move without bumping into someone else in the battle.  
  
Cleon cheered. "Probably wasted all their troops covering the mountains. We should feel grateful that they were that paranoid."  
  
But Bit and Leena held steadfast to their feeling of impending doom. That feeling paid off when they reached the control room and saw Harry with an elaborate machine. "Good morning Bit Cloud," he welcomed, "You're just in time to try out my newest invention. It's the Harry Champ Cosmic Magic Amplifier 2,500. It can throw magic at you just like the citizens of this planet. Your days as my rival will come to a close here, and Leena will at last be mine."  
  
Leena began to laugh. "C'mon Harry, that's the stupidest idea you've ever had. And since it's you I'm talking about, that's saying something."  
  
Harry looked closer at Leena and said, "You look different, but I can't quite put my finger on it. What is it, a new hairdo? Some new clothes? Cosmetics perhaps?"  
  
While Harry refused to see the obvious, Bit motioned to Alkanet and Cleon, who promptly threw Star Bubbles at the machine. The whole fortress began to feel the pressure of the attack, and looked like it would explode. The members of Ryong ran for safety, while Harry was still figuring out what looked different about Leena.  
  
* * *  
  
"Good job everyone," congratulated Bit, "There's only two more planets left, and then we can go on to Madam Luna's main base."  
  
Everyone packed up the ship. Bramb had also agreed to join them-even though no one could understand him still. It wasn't long before they had finished loading the ship. Then, they blasted off to a new adventure.  
  
- - - -  
  
Well, I'm finally back. First we had all the problems with the server, and I couldn't update the files in my Document Manager. Then Document Manager went on the fritz. Now I'm back and ready for more of this story. Before any of you say nani (what) about Bramb's speech, it's actually quite simple. I just took Japanese words, and applied the English order of grammar (as I don't know Japanese grammar). His first words translate to "My name is Bramb. What are your names, foreign warriors." Later on he tells them "The fortress of Madam Luna is west of here." Well, maybe not exactly, but that's what was intended. 


	14. Dragon Demon

Dragon Demon  
  
Soon, Unity parked on the Gargoyle World. It was a planet inhabited by gargoyle like creatures similar to Bub and Bob's race. They were extremely nasty, and tended to dislike any outsiders on their planet, whether friendly or hostile. Still, Ryong had vowed to rescue all the captured worlds, no matter what the inhabitants think.  
  
When they disembarked from their craft, the warriors were in for a shock. Many robot parts littered the mountainside. They figured it was one of the patrols that Harry had ordered against their landing, but who could have done this.  
  
"Not fair," whined Leena, "I wanted to kick the butts of the welcoming committee. Where is the moron who stole my prey this time?"  
  
Bit began backing off. He knew what happened when Leena was denied her target from the times he'd gotten in her way, or another Zoid shot her while she was lining up her sights at the enemy. In such situations, it was wise to avoid her-unless one had a death wish.  
  
Soon, she got her answer. In front of them flew a black dragon with wings. His cheeks were red, and so were the spikes on his back. The arms, legs, and inner skin on the wings were blue. On top of the arc of each wing was a white claw.  
  
"Who comes unbidden to my planet?" he inquired.  
  
Bub stepped forward. "Greetings, cousin. We are from the resistance group Ryong. Our mission is to eliminate Madam Luna's control on every planet in the universe."  
  
The creature replied, "My name is Develon. I really don't need your help to fight. I've been doing fine on my own for the past year."  
  
"What about your resistance?" asked Bob.  
  
"There is none," answered Develon, "I'm the only one who got away from the fortress. And I keep fighting for my people's freedom. As you can see from my earlier work here, I'm quite a good warrior. So why don't you go find a planet that appreciates your assistance." And with that, he spat on the ground and flew off again.  
  
* * *  
  
"Just shows, there's no pleasing some people," stated Leon. They were all back in the ship and holding a strategy meeting. Only no one could fathom Develon's determination. Even the most stubborn warriors needed help, especially ones with attitudes too.  
  
Bit told him, "We'll just wait a little while. Sooner or later, Develon will realize that he can't save his people on his own, and ask for help."  
  
But a week passed, and the little gargoyle didn't come for them. Everyone began to think he'd never realize the truth. Leena began to worry about the fate of the headstrong dragon. After all, when she did something alone, things always turned out for the worst.  
  
Finally, Bit and the others had enough. They packed their weapons and headed for the fortress themselves. If Develon couldn't be made to see the obvious truth, the best thing they could do was show him. Of course, progress was slowed down considerably, on account of the team not having their usual guide to show the way. After arriving at the fortress, they saw the last thing they'd ever expect. Develon was tied up on a pole, struggling to get free. The guards stood by, each carrying a flaming torch. None of them needed to be told what was going on, the little gargoyle was being executed!  
  
"Any last words?" inquired a guard. Develon's reply was to spit on the ground and stick his long tongue out at them. "Then so be it. You will die here for trying to destroy Madam Luna's grand regime." And with that, they lit the bottom of the pole on fire.  
  
Bit suddenly jumped up and yelled, "Let him go." The surprised guards turned around and saw the rebels. Instantly, a battle ensued.  
  
The only one not participating was Alkanet. She had sneaked around the fights, and arrived at the pole. Promptly, the princess used her ice powers to extinguish the flames. Then, she untied the ropes around Develon, freeing him.  
  
"I could have done it myself," he claimed.  
  
"Whatever," sighed Alkanet, "You just keep telling yourself that."  
  
Soon the guards were all defeated. Bit then led a charge inside the palace. Many more robots challenged the crew along the way. But Ryong didn't let that stop them. They defeated everyone who stood in the way of their advance on the control room.  
  
When they finally arrived, they saw Harry having his lunch. He was sporting a broken leg and a fractured wrist from the explosion on the last planet. Needless to say, he wasn't in much shape to battle Bit today, but that didn't stop him.  
  
"Bit Cloud, I challenge you again," he said.  
  
Everyone sweatdropped. "Harry," replied Bit, "You're pretty beat up. Maybe you should rest for today, and find a rock to duel. It seems to be about your level."  
  
That had Harry all fired up. He was about to rush at Bit-broken leg or no-when Leena hit him in the stomach. Harry fell down like a stone in a landslide. She then placed him on the transporter, and sent him back to Madam Luna.  
  
* * *  
  
"Thanks, I guess I needed help after all, " confessed Develon. He flashed a rare smile at the members of Ryong. "I have also decided to go with you on your journey. After all, you need the best warrior in the universe in order to succeed."  
  
Bit turned to Leena and whispered, "Does this guy remind you of a cross between Harry and The Fuzzy Pandas Team?" In response, Leena giggled.  
  
"Let's get going, Madam Luna isn't going to wait for us," yelled Naomi. Then, everyone got their act together and began loading up the ship. Once finished, they all boarded Unity, and blasted off into space once again.  
  
'One more to go,' thought Bit, 'And then, the Universe will be free.'  
  
- - - -  
  
Dang, only one more planet to go. Don't know what else to say 'bout that. 


	15. Memories and Robots

Memories and Robots  
  
Finally, the Factory Planet was in site. It had been a long time coming from the group's humble beginnings on the Dragon Planet. Along the way, the warriors had encountered friend and foe alike and battled long and hard against Madam Luna's armies. But at long last, the tenth and final planet that needed rescuing was in their grasp.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen," announced Bit, "We have landed." This was met with a loud cheer from his comrades.  
  
At once, Packy ran off. Bub yelled, "Packy, come back here girl. Where in the world are you going anyway?"  
  
The twins gave chase along with Bit and Leena. When at last the robo- cat stopped. They were in the center of a factory. In front of them was a robot in the steel armor of a medieval knight, complete with a faceplate. The plume on his helmet was made of orange fire, and whatever was under the faceplate was completely black, except for a big red circle in the middle, and a smaller one above it on each side.  
  
Bit asked the robot, "What is your name? Are you a member of the resistance on this planet? Which way to the fortress?"  
  
But the creature didn't stir. Suddenly, Packy put her tail into the socket in back of it. For a moment, the room was covered in electricity. Once it died down, the robot stood upright, but Packy was laying inactive on the floor. The robot looked around and took notice of the intruders. "My name is Gigant. I am the guardian of the factory," he said.  
  
Suddenly, Maita appeared before them. He took one look at Gigant, and exclaimed, "I remember my past now. It's all coming back, after half a year."  
  
"Tell us," begged Bit, "We've been curious ever since we met you back on the Planet of Sages. Just who exactly are you?"  
  
Maita began, "Well, I was a highly respected factory tech. My crowning achievement was Gigant here. He was to defend us from any invaders looking to steal our technology. But even he faltered before Madam Luna's power. She shut him down after taking over the planet, so he couldn't be used to fight against her."  
  
"What next?" asked Bub.  
  
"Well, I went into hiding with other escapees and began to rebel against her regime. But we knew our days were numbered if we couldn't win. When I realized that the army was advancing on us, I started on a project that would revive Gigant. I created a robot that would carry energy inside of her, and be able to transfer it to Gigant. Then, I secretly shipped her out of the factory with a shipment of guards to the Dragon Planet. Hopefully, some other resistance faction would find her and be able to bring her here while on their travels. Soon after, the whole faction was killed."  
  
Leena picked up the unconscious Packy. She began to cry for the fallen ally. "I'm guessing Packy here was that robot," she sobbed.  
  
"Yes," replied Maita, "There's no time to lose. We have to hit the fortress, and end Madam Luna's dominance over this planet once and for all."  
  
* * *  
  
Like on the Planet of Sages, no one bothered to retrieve the others. It was only the six of them-with Leena still carrying Packy in her arms. But Maita had assured them that there would be little in the way of resistance, seeing as that the enemy feared destroying the machines. And Ryong planned to use that to their advantage.  
  
The foreman was surprised to see some of his machines exploding suddenly. Just as he was about to call maintenance to check on it, another explosion was heard. Instantly, he sounded the general alarm telling the guards that intruders were in the base.  
  
But even that was of little help to him now. For the Guardhouse had been destroyed even before the machines in the factory. So all the foreman got when calling to yell at them for not finding the intruders was static.  
  
He realized that he had to check on the disturbances himself. So he followed the pattern of carnage, which led to the boiler room. But what the foreman didn't know, was that the rebels had anticipated his movement.  
  
"3.2.1.NOW!" yelled Leena. Instantly, Bit detonated some explosives that were set up in the boiler room-using a remote control-destroying it instantly. Finally, the final fortress was gone, and the universe was free.  
  
* * *  
  
After the battle, they returned to the ship to explain what had happened. Everyone immediately gathered around the fallen Packy. Then, everyone in the group-even Develon-shed tears for their comrade. "She was a brave cat," said Bob, "Too bad it had to end this way."  
  
Maita suddenly spoke up. "There is a way to restore her. I never wanted to revive Gigant at the expense of Packy's life. Come with me for a moment."  
  
They followed him to his lab, where Maita grabbed a strange potion from the closet. To it, he added some scrap metal, a few drops of oil, and a jolt of electricity. He then promptly helped Packy drink it all down.  
  
At first nothing happened. Then, the electricity built up inside of Packy, and her energy reserves began to fill. Soon the robo-cat opened her eyes, and ran into Leena's arms.  
  
"Packy, you're ok," she cheered.  
  
Bub told her, "Now that Packy's ok again, we're going to head out to Madam Luna's fortress, are you guys ready?"  
  
"You bet we are," yelled Bit and Leena.  
  
- - - -  
  
That was another of my fly by the seat of my pants chapters. I just let the ideas flow freely. Well, now we've got to go to the final dungeon. The several chapter final dungeon. Then, it'll all be over. 


	16. Sinister Fort

Sinister Fort  
  
"Harry you moron, where is that report?" demanded Madam Luna, "I need to know of the rebels' next movements, so I can plan a trap." She was pacing back and forth in her command center, and glaring at her incompetent Lieutenant.  
  
"Well.about the rebels."began Harry.  
  
Madam Luna yelled, "Tell me what's going on this instant! Do you want all of our strongholds to fall to their attacks?"  
  
"You see.the rebels.are actually.on their way here," stammered Harry.  
  
Madam Luna began to blow smoke from her collar. It took a few minutes to cool the evil empress's temper down. "Then call out all the guards. We can't have them enter my base. I need my peace and quiet."  
  
* * *  
  
'After all of our hard work.we're finally here,' thought Bit, 'It seems like just yesterday that we were playing Bust-a-Move in the base recreation room. Wonder what Doc and Leanna thought when they found us missing.'  
  
Unity was descending over Madam Luna's main base-which was built to look just like the evil witch herself. It was floating unaided in the middle of space. Jamie had deduced that it must contain an artificial gravity in order to perform such a feat. His deductions, as usual, were ignored by his allies-who just wanted to get the job over with.  
  
The second they parked the ship, the warriors of Ryong readied themselves for battle. Everyone knew that Madam Luna would employ enough guards at her home base to make the units on the other planets look like a small town marching band. Bit and Leena kept their guard up, just waiting for some foolish enemy soldiers to step in their way. Their wait wasn't long, as Madam Luna's guards were all over the place. They soon spotted the rebels and ran to engage in combat. As usual, the superior warriors in Ryong quickly dealt with them. Once the guards were all disposed of, Ryong moved forward towards the command center.  
  
Once inside, they saw Harry. "Welcome Bit Cloud," he said, "I've improved greatly since we last fought each other, and I challenge you once again to a battle. This time, I will not lose to you, and Leena will be mine."  
  
Suddenly, a large blush tray hit him on the head. "I'm really tired of you acting like I am your possession Harry," screamed Leena.  
  
Making an impossibly quick recovery, Harry walked over to Bit. "Do you accept? You can always run away screaming and leave Leena here." That comment was met with another of Leena's makeup trays hitting him on the head.  
  
Bit yelled, "Of course I accept. That's what we came here for anyway, to defeat Madam Luna and all of her warriors. Get ready Harry."  
  
The battle began. For all of Harry's talk, he hadn't improved in the slightest-unless Bit had improved at a much larger rate than Harry. It took only a few seconds for Bit to launch a sneak attack on Harry that left his screen littered with bubbles.  
  
Instantly, Harry was knocked out. A sinister laugh echoed from every corner of the chamber. In came Madam Luna, ready to meet her rivals face to face for the first time ever. "So, Ryong," she said, "We meet at last. But now your days of ruining my plans are over forever. No one can defeat me in a bubble battle. You will lay defeated at my feet, and become submissive slaves for all eternity."  
  
Leena stepped up. "So you're the witch I've been hearing about. How dare you harm all these innocent people? I, Leena Toros, will be your first opponent. I have to warn you though, I don't take to losing a fight, no matter what. Heck, how else have I gotten as far as I did in Zoids. I'm ready whenever you are, you evil monster."  
  
"Never been more ready, foolish woman," replied Madam Luna.  
  
The battle began. Leena instantly launched her traps at Madam Luna, disabling her advance. The evil queen cursed her ignorance to the strength of the warriors of Ryong. The young woman was a whirling dervish of tricks and traps. She didn't throw one colored bubble at all. Madam Luna began to admire the sadistic genius of her enemy.  
  
Leena soon released one killer combo. Madam Luna didn't quite know what hit her. Steam began to build up under her collar. "I can't lose," she screamed, "I am Madam Luna, the most powerful woman in the entire universe."  
  
She suddenly began to build up electricity all over her body. Leena stepped backwards, and tried to avoid her enemy, in case something happened. Bit held his love in his arms, trying to shield her from any explosions that may occur.  
  
"Thank you," whispered Leena.  
  
All of the energy in Madam Luna suddenly began to reach critical mass. Brad tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. So the members of Ryong fled to a corner sos not to get caught up in the impending blast.  
  
At that moment, Madam Luna exploded in a large billow of smoke. Bit and Leena ran forward to inspect their enemy, but the smoke was just too thick. So they waited on the sidelines. Brad grabbed his card deck, and began another game of poker with Marino and Leon.  
  
'Wonder what that was all about,' mused Bit.  
  
Suddenly, the smoke began to clear. Everyone in Ryong turned to get a good look at what had happened to Madam Luna. What they saw, shocked them.  
  
- - - -  
  
What did the warriors see in the blast? You may know if you ever played Bust-a-Move 4's Player vs. Computer story. If you didn't, you'll see next time. 


	17. Final Fight For Ryong

Final Fight For Ryong  
  
"Fear my puny warriors. I am Dreg, the most brilliant scientific mind in the universe. You will all bow before my superior powers," commanded Dreg.  
  
After the smoke had cleared, the sorcerer had been found among the metal that had once been Madam Luna. He had instantly gotten up, and began to taunt his enemies. Bit had to laugh, this little punk had been no match for their warriors back on the Carnival World. So what made him think now was any different.  
  
Dreg yelled, "I don't appreciate being laughed at Bit Cloud. But you will see soon enough. Then I will be the one laughing."  
  
"So you were the one behind this," deduced Fara, "And Madam Luna was just a robot that you would ride around in. That explains a lot. Like why she never liked to travel. Or the fact that you two were never seen in the same place at once."  
  
"So you do have a brain, lower life forms. No matter, I will defeat you, and then make you all my slaves for eternity," he bellowed.  
  
'He must have programmed his own personality into Madam Luna. They even say the same things,' thought Bit.  
  
Leena questioned, "What was the point of creating Madam Luna in the first place? Why couldn't you just do it yourself if you're so powerful?"  
  
"I'm just not scary enough," replied Dreg, "No one would fear someone that's just a small little man in a hood. So I though.what could I use to bring terror into their hearts? Then, it hit me. I'd make a robot that was actually a smaller version of my base, just big enough to ride in. Everyone who ever looked at my base was terrified of the message it brought. Why wouldn't a robotic body like that do the same thing?"  
  
"Are you kidding? The only thing scary about Madam Luna was her big, ugly lips," laughed Bit. Leena began to join in. Soon all of Ryong was laughing.  
  
Dreg began fuming. "That's not funny! You fools had better show some respect for your most excellent ruler."  
  
Leena told him, "When we find such a person, we'll make sure to do just that. Thanks for the advice Dreg."  
  
Dreg instantly shot a stream of bubbles at the rebels in anger. "Now fight, if you want to free your precious universe from my rule."  
  
Bub stepped up to the platform. "I will be your challenger Dreg," he said, "My name is Bub Bubblin of the Dragon Planet. Brother to Bob, the other one of the famous Bubblin twins. Sons of Brett, the heroic bubble warrior and village elder. Champions of the doubles match of the bubble tournament ten years running now. Champions of the singles match of the bubble tournament-taking turns-for ten years as well. Co-founders of the rebel group Ryong."  
  
"Such impressive titles boy. But talk doesn't matter here. Only the ability to battle," Dreg replied. He stepped into position, and took out his bubble board.  
  
Bub followed suit. Then, the battle began. Every member of Ryong stepped off to the side and turned to watch the match. Alkanet told Leena, "It's considered a sport for viewing. The regulation matches are held in a great universal arena. Many beings from around the universe come to see their heroes battle it out."  
  
Leena and Bit watched with awe. Dreg had indeed improved from the last time they'd met him. But so had Bub. The battle was looking like a close one. Everyone knew it would go one for quite some time. Leena had been informed earlier that the longest battle on record was twelve hours long. She didn't think she could sit there for that long.  
  
Finally, about five minutes later, Bub released a killer combo on Dreg. The sorcerer didn't know quite what had hit him. Soon, his screen was filled to the brim. The final battle was over, and the war had gone to Ryong.  
  
Bub ran back to his brother. The two dragons began to cheer for their victory. Now, their world would be free from the evil of Dreg, and everyone could be safe again. All that remained was to free the slaves in Madam Luna's-I mean Dreg's-dungeon.  
  
Brad and Naomi volunteered for that job. Woolen and Kurol were following close behind, hoping to find their lost families. Once inside. Naomi took the key they'd taken off a shocked Dreg, and let the prisoners go.  
  
A pair of fauns left one cell shaking their heads in order to clear them. Woolen took notice, and ran to them screaming, "Mommy, daddy." Kurol was doing the same with a pair of synecs that were in a cell nearby. Soon the reunions were finished, and they all headed back to the main chamber.  
  
In the meantime, Bub and Bob were freeing the ten rainbow bubbles from their canisters. Each one was suddenly, streaking towards their home planets. Instantly, the skies lit up with light. Instead of the eternal cycle of dusk, night, dawn, the daylight was now returned to the universe.  
  
But the celebration was short lived. When Brad and Naomi returned, Dreg got to his feet. "If I can't rule the universe, I'll take all of you with me to the grave!" he yelled. With that, Dreg lumbered over to a self- destruct button on the console. He let out a laugh, and fainted again.  
  
"What do we do now?" asked Bub, "We've got to get out of here at once."  
  
- - - -  
  
The thrilling escape scene, ooooooh. And yes, there were more than just Kurol and Woolen's families in the jail. I didn't need to mention them because of the fact that there were only two reunions being held. 


	18. End of the War

End of the War  
  
Everyone began to run from the control room. They didn't stop running until they arrived at the ship. Once there, all of the refugees began loading themselves onto Unity. After them came Woolen and Kurol- being the only children on this expedition. Then the warriors from the ten planets. Bub and Bob were bringing up the rear.  
  
Finally it was time for the crew from Zi to escape. Suddenly, Bit smacked his forehead. "We forgot Harry," he told everyone.  
  
Bub yelled, "You should all hurry and get on, we don't have much time. Why should we rescue the enemy anyway?"  
  
Develon looked at him. "For once I agree with you, little dragon. He's even more rotten than I am, and that's saying something."  
  
Leena shook her head. "He's not really rotten," she said, "He's just stupid. You can manipulate him easily by promising him what he wants- mostly my hand in marriage. Most likely Dreg told him some outrageous lie and/or promise that got him to join up. Since he's not truly evil, we'd be doing a grave injustice by not saving him."  
  
"That, and our consciences wouldn't ever let us hear the end of it," joked Bit.  
  
"Yeah, that too," echoed Leena.  
  
Bit turned to his friends in Ryong. "You should all make a break for it. We'll stay here to save Harry. Don't worry about us, just run."  
  
Before Bub could argue, Leena softly told him, "It's ok. We were never meant to exist in this world in the first place. I hope your futures all turn out for the best. Goodbye, my friends." The other members of The Blitz Team echoed her sentiments, and then they all headed back to the command center for their daring rescue mission.  
  
"Good luck," whispered Bub. Then, Unity blasted off, and headed for an area that was a safe distance from the base. "And thank you for your help." \ * * *  
  
Back at the base, Leena and Bit had separated from Ryu and Nina in order to have the Organoids' powers at their side. They all ran towards the command center where they'd seen Harry fall after Madam Luna's entry into the room. Once there, Ryu and Nina began prying the door open after it had mysteriously locked behind Ryong upon their escape.  
  
In the center of the room, they saw Harry, who was still unconscious. Bit and Leena ran to his side, and checked his pulse. He was ok, just knocked out. Leena grabbed a bucket of water, and splashed the moron with it.  
  
"No Mary, I'm not marrying your best friend from finishing school!" screamed Harry. He suddenly looked around, and realized he was having a bad dream. "What happened?"  
  
"You were knocked out by Madam Luna," answered Bit, "We've got to find a transporter or a ship that still works so we can escape before the whole base blows sky high."  
  
Harry told him, "There is none. Madam Luna destroyed the transporters in a rage upon finding out that you were all coming. And all of her supply ships are currently making runs, so they're not here for us to ride. Why don't we just use your ship?"  
  
"We sent it away in order to save our friends," said Bit.  
  
Harry grabbed his rival's collar. "You mean to tell me that we're all gonna die here?! How could you do this Bit? I'm destined to be king, I must survive and return home to take my rightful throne. And Leena must survive to be my queen."  
  
Leena smacked him away from Bit. "Yelling won't change anything," she chided, "We must stay calm and think of a plan."  
  
But there was no time even for that. No sooner had the words left Leena's mouth, an explosion engulfed the base, and all in it. The result was so bright, that every planet in the whole system saw it, and presumed it to be Ryong's victory fireworks.  
  
Back on the Unity, everyone was watching and waiting for a sign. They wanted to view the light of the teleporter or a supply ship that would take their friends for safety. But none came. When the explosion hit, everyone began to cry.  
  
"Bit.Leena." sighed Bub.  
  
* * *  
  
"Where am I?" asked Bit, "Last thing I remember was getting caught in that explosion."  
  
"What explosion? Seems to me like you all were electrocuted by a surge of lightning that went through the PSX," replied a voice.  
  
Bit looked up. He was back in the ready room of Toros base. All of his friends were laying around the room on the exact part of the floor they'd been sitting on before they went into the game. Above them were Toros and Leanna-who were caring for the wounded warriors.  
  
"We went into the game," Bit began, "We were on a mission to save the universe from Madam Luna and Dreg. Harry was there as well-being manipulated by the bad guys. In the end, we let the Bust-a-Move cast run from the exploding fortress while we rescued Harry from the command center. How did we survive anyway?"  
  
Leanna let out a sigh. "You're a nut Bit Cloud. No wonder my foster sister likes you so much. Now, off to bed with you all"  
  
Bit and the others all got up off the floor. They began heading to their rooms. "Maybe it was all a dream," said Bit.  
  
Leena replied, "Maybe, but then why did I have the same one?"  
  
"Me two," chorused Naomi, Fara, and Julianna.  
  
"Same here," stated Brad, Leon, and Jamie.  
  
Suddenly, they all heard G's voice in their minds. 'My spell that brought you to our world was set to be reversed when you were faced with extreme danger. You've come back in time to the instant you vanished, so your relatives all forgot that you were gone in the first place. You were right, you didn't belong in our world. But your "deaths" will go down in our history as that of true warriors. We're all ok here, our worlds are rebuilding and preparing for the future. Oh and don't worry about your friend Harry, he's perfectly fine as well. Farewell warriors.'  
  
"I guess it wasn't a dream after all," claimed Bit.  
  
* * *  
  
"Hello, where is everybody?" inquired Harry. Somehow, he'd ended up in a cave he'd never seen before. It was pitch dark, and he could barely see the hand in front of his own face. It was beginning to creep him out.  
  
A blond, young man-who looked suspiciously similar to Bit-in bulky armor, and a cloaked woman who was not much older than the man came by. "You really shouldn't be here," the man told Harry, "The Deep Dungeon can be treacherous for a boy without a weapon."  
  
"Ramza, we must move on," the woman said.  
  
Ramza looked at her. "Sure Meliadoul, I'm betting that Agrias and Mustadio have a good scouting report for us up ahead." With that, they went strait to what appeared to be a downwards stair, and took it.  
  
Harry didn't see what was so bad, and followed the duo. Once down the next level, he saw them fighting a large demon along with some other warriors. The rich young man instantly wandered over to see what was up.  
  
"Don't go there, he's casting Zodiac," warned a blond young woman in armor.  
  
"What's Zodi." began Harry, but then, the attack hit him.  
  
'Whoops,' thought G, 'Sent Harry into Final Fantasy Tactics. Better get the destination right this time.' In the background, the sound of bodies facefaulting was heard.  
  
- - - -  
  
Hey, I've just got a killer idea for a crossover. Hmmm.Chocobo type Zoids. Gotta stop thinking or I'm likely to spend my whole summer on my computer. I wrote every episode from "Dragon Demon" to this one on the first two days of summer break. And that FFT part in the ending was just written on the fly. I wanted to have G make a mistake and Harry get into trouble. Well, thank yous are in order for the fic. First, for the makers of Zoids for the characters (the only ones I own are Fara, Julianna, Leanna, Ryu and Nina). Then, to Natsume and Taito for making Bust-a-Move, since I used their characters as well. Also, a small shout out to Capcom, since the names Ryu and Nina are from their hit gaming series "Breath of Fire". And to Square, who owns the characters from FFT that were used in the last scene. And finally, to my best friend Dan, who got me into Zoids in the first place. I wrote this on June 21, 2002-the day before he left for his job at a summer camp five hours away. He's going to college this year (up by his camp), so he's most likely not gonna have a chance to come home after camp and hang with me. I'm wishing him the best of luck, and I'll see him when I go to pick my sister up from camp (since she's going there), and again after his first semester. 


End file.
